1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a center airbag cushion which is installed between the left and right seats of a vehicle to protect a passenger from a shock generated by a side collision of the vehicle, and a center airbag module having the center airbag cushion.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, airbag systems include an impact sensor, an airbag module and an airbag control unit. The airbag systems are safety devices which are configured such that when a vehicle is involved in a collision, an airbag cushion installed in the airbag module is inflated by inflation gas to protect a driver or a passenger from shock. Such airbag systems have been developed to cope with front collisions of vehicles. Recently, center airbag systems and side airbag systems have been developed and used to cope with side collisions or vehicles overturning. A center airbag system is installed between the front left and right seats or the rear left and right seats to provide support to a passenger who is pushed to the left or the right when a vehicle is involved in a side collision and to prevent passengers from secondarily colliding with themselves.
FIG. 1 is a view showing a vehicle equipped with conventional center airbag systems. The conventional center airbag system is installed between the front left and right seats A1 and A2 of the vehicle or between the rear left and right seats A3 and A4. The center airbag system may be disposed in a space B1 between the left and right seats, a center console compartment B2 or a central portion B3 of the dashboard. When a side collision of the vehicle occurs, the center airbag system deploys an airbag cushion C, C′ to prevent the passenger on the left from excessively leaning to the right or to prevent the passenger on the right from excessively leaning to the left, thus preventing the passenger from being injured. Furthermore, the center airbag system prevents a secondary collision between the left and right seated passengers, thus preventing the passengers from suffering injuries due to secondary impacts.
The airbag cushion C, C′ must have a structure and elasticity sufficient to absorb the shock applied from the passenger to the airbag cushion C, C′. Furthermore, the airbag cushion C, C′ must have a support force sufficient to prevent the passenger from excessively leaning and colliding with another passenger. In other words, the center airbag system must be configured such that when the vehicle is involved in a side collision, the airbag cushion C, C′ can maintain its correct position rather than excessively leaning in one direction and can thus reliably protect both passengers who are seated on the left seat and the right seat.
However, the conventional center airbag system is problematic in that the airbag cushion C, C′ excessively leans in one direction because absorption of shock transmitted from the passenger to the airbag cushion C, C′ is set as the main point, or the deployment force of the airbag cushion C, C′ is insufficient or the airbag cushion C, C′ cannot effectively absorb shock transmitted from the passenger thereto because supporting the passenger is set as the main point. Therefore, the conventional center airbag system cannot meet all the demanded criteria of superior shock absorption ability, sufficient support force and the airbag cushion being satisfactorily deployed.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.